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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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##¶&*=~,¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ** ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ** ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ** ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ** ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ BECOME STILL. ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ** ** ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ ** ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨,~=*&¶##
###¶&*=~,¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨,~=*&¶###
##¶&*=~,¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨,~=*&¶##
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
¶&*=~,¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨,~=*&¶
#¶&*=~,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,~=*&¶#
##¶&*=~,¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨,~=*&¶##
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